We are going on a holiday!!

It is the time again to fly to Germany and see our family over there.

Take off is Friday Morning and we will arrive in Munich on Saturday the 9th at 5.30am. My Dad will pick me up and we are off to Fürsteneck Castle for the first week. It is our family castle and there are always loads of adventures to be had.

Fishing Photos

Adrian playing on Ginny's retro Gameboy. He loved it;)





Not only did Adrian catch his FIRST fish, but the first fish of the competition which was held at Hamilton Lake!!! check out the people looking at him:)
Unfortunatley they didn't win, but had fun anyway. Also the whole school was ment to go, most parents forgot to organise it or to drop off the permission slips so only a few children got to go. Adrian had his own rod from Grandad Bill which he is very proud of and looking after well.

More Soccer photos.

Adrian's soccer season is finished.

Well, it all started in May with grading games. The Hammerheads did well and were graded mid-field. We only missed one or two practises and Adrian enjoyed it a lot more this year. Maybe also the weekly hot dog from the store?!? Well- towards the end he favoured burgers, so was obviously hot dog-ed out:) His coach was Amanda and Rob also helped which was a big challenge for the children and meant their practises were full on and all about preparing for the game. Every practise had a game also with the other Raglan 7th grade team. The games were all over the Waikato with one some in Raglan also. We were lucky to have Joe, Adrian's mate from school who also lives on our street in the team so we could share a lot of driving.
Yesterday was the last game and also pricegiving. The game was tough and great! Adrian was so close in scoring it wasn't funny anymore. He kept on going and going but just wouldn't get it in- bummer. The other team won in the end by 1 goal and I am not too sure where the Hammerheads are in the division but might check in a few days time.
Pricegiving was nice and fun and we will miss them all!! Yes, also getting up every Saturday morning in the cold and rain wasn't always fun, Adrian made some great friends and I got used to the diverse range of mums and dads coming along and will miss that also!
Well, let's hope next year we can do it all over again and Adrian will have remembered his well learnt skills. Duncan and I are so very proud of him- he has come a long long way since the beginning of it all and is a great player now.
Some photos of Adrian with his medal, team photo, cup (they will all have a turn with it) and certificate!! More photos to come.

Triathlon

Adrian had triathlon at school yesterday. He did very well and pushed himself very hard!! No winners or losers at Waitetuna, but he is a winner in my eyes anyway:) They had a buddy system with a senior helping each junior which is nice. He loved it and like last year wants to do it every day:) Here some photos of each leg...

Adrian's Birthday Party

Adrian had a great party at McDonald's today. His friends there were Andrew, James, Jennifer, Pou, Waikare, Zane, Keith, Matt, Brad, Joe and Quintin. The boys loved seeing each other again after a long holiday and were busy playing most of the time. He was very spoild today and got loads of great presents from his friends and family.
Here are some photos.

Adrian had a fun time with McDonald's

Last week Adrian was invited by his friend Zane to join their family at the bach in Te Akau which is just opposide of the Raglan harbour. He camped outside and had lots of fun playing with 10 other children. They showed him how to get Pipis and kayaking which he just loved! He came home exhausted with a whicked tan and lots of cuts on his feet.

Adrian was also very lucky to be getting a super cool Giant bike with all the bells and whistles from his Dad. He loves it!!!

Awakino Estate

View from the "Sunset House" we were staying at.
Adrian and my Mum had fun exploring.

We spent a couple of fun days with my friend Esther at Taranaki which is a place we enjoy a lot. Heaps of great horses there- Warmbloods, Welsh Sec A and Cobs and an Angus and Hereford Stud. Around 1500ha of coastal farmland and the most beautiful beach house and the main house with a pool. Paradise for any child. Here a couple of photos. And always great food and wine which is great for Mums also:)

Well, just a few days left.

Duncan is doing a bit better thank god as this was very stressful for us and I am sure he is a lot happier now also!

We had to say good-bye to Fürsteneck, my Dad, Stepmum, Sabine and my Aunt Barbara who came especially from Florence/Italy to see us. And all the friends who stayed at the castle at the time. It was very nice there and Adrian had a great time with his Opa Adrian. He misses him terribly already which is so sad to see. My Stepmum loves Giorgia and I know it was a very heartbreaking good-bye for her:( But we will be back which is something. I tried to explain to Adrian that it is nice making new friends and being able to visit them again which I think helped a bit.

Adrian had another great ride on Pele this morning and my Oma will bring more cake this afternoon. Tomorrow we will visit my great uncle Boki Forster in Munich who is 92 I think and the father of Carl-Peter Forster who is in the press a lot being CEO of GM and Opel. I really like them, they are a very warm and loving family.

Well, and on Tuesday I will do some last minute shopping and then off to the airport as we are flying out at 3.30pm. Wish us luck, I think I won't be able to post before we get home.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog while we were away. Keep an eye on it for Adrian's adventures to come...

More photos

Sorry about the side on- Adrian climbing a frozen waterfall! He enjoyed his time with Opa Adrian a lot.

On our last day, the boys finally managed to get across to the other side of the frozen river Ohe. Lilly the Beardie was happier hanging out with me.

Freezing cold and smoking chimneys at the castle. My Dad just installed a new system, so only a few places still need their own fire place still.

Time for photos

Adrian and my Dad checking out the frozen river.

Adrian loved it there!

My sister Sabine and I.

Obviously her cake- yummy!!

Giorgia's Christening

Happy New Year!

Also worrying lots about Duncan who has been in hospital for a few days now, we tried to have a good night. Adrian did really well walking to and from the restaurant- one trip in the dark and both trips through deep frost. We enjoyed our dinner and once back home had to keep Adrian awake until midnight and the babys asleep at the same time which was challenging but we made it! Just before midnight Adrian and I set off to friends' place for some wicked fireworks displays all around us which lastet around half an hour. So much noisier than at home! Adrian learnt to say "Frohes Neues Jahr" and we headed back home and finally at around 1am Adrian went to sleep. This morning Adrian went for another icy walk with his Opa Adrian and they climbed a 30mtr icey waterfall together which according to my Dad we are lucky they have survived:) Yes, humour is what Adrian must have from his Opa as well as most of his good looks. This afternoon my favourite aunty Barbara from Florence is coming to stay for a few days. She has been very busy sending us parcels every couple of months over the years and has only seen Adrian once at his Christening 5 1/2 years ago. Please think of Duncan for us, we do need him in our lives and he has been such a great influence to Adrian over the last couple of years.

Bavarian Forest

Adrian has settled in very well here enjoying the cold. Down to 10°C below at night and around 0°C during the day makes for fine days with lots of sun and ice everywhere. He is enjoying his morning trips with his Opa picking up rubbish (mainly cigarette buds), checking the fires and making sure everything else seems to be in order around the castle. Just the usual landlord kind of stuff...
We went for another walk down to the river yesterday which is slowly turning into ice. We also went to the very old cemetary to visit my grandparents grave. Here, the graves are decorated a lot nicer than in NZ and ours has even got a Christmas Tree with candles.
This afternoon they went back to the snow having fun. Photos to come:)
My friend Hannah and her baby girl Emma, Adrian's cousin, are coming for a visit for a couple of days which is great! We haven't seen Hannah for 18 months or so and have not met Emma. Tomorrow we will go out for dinner to my Dad's other Restaurant not far from here for a traditional Bavarian Sour Roast and then come back here in time to ring the midnight tower bell for New Years. There are not a lot of big firework displays, but everybody buys their own much like Guy Falks. It will be nice to see the fireworks around us and in the other small villages.
Hope you guys will have a great New Years' celebration and all the best for 2009!!

Giorgia's Christening

Giorgia's Christening was most beautiful and perfect just like her! We had a great day with family and friends. The ceremony was very nice and our lunch great. Instead of dessert at the restaurant, we opted for cake at home. There were 7, which is one thing my family is good at! Baking and eating cake. Giorgia did so very well all day and everybody had a great time! I will load photos next week, as my Dad's computer can't take my memory card.

Yes, we are at my Dad's place now. He lives in his castle in the Bavarian Forest and it is beautiful here. The castle has been purchased by my Great-grandfather and passed down to my father. It was built around 1200 and mainly used as a border patrol. It's more like a fortress and sits on top of a mountain surrounded by 2 rivers at the bottom. The website is: www.schloss-fuersteneck.de He retired here a few years ago with his wife and loves keeping busy. The restaurant has always been leased and he also has got a few apartments here rented to his friends and family. Always nice catching up with friends and famliy here:) And not busy ever and relaxed!
Today we went to the snow and had fun on the sleighs. Again, I will put up photos later. Adrian just loved it and couldn't stop going down faster and more daring each time. It is so funny to see how very similar he looks and is to my Dad. Now he's gone swimming with my sister Sabine.
Ok, that's us for now. Hope you're all keeping well...

Christmas Eve.

Sunset outside our bedroom window. Yes, my mum has got a round pen and paddocks in her garden:)

Lounge

Happy Adrian!!

After Adrian's tantrums that lastet the whole day had passed, everybody had been to church or the cemetery, we met back at the house (my mum and stepdad, my sister Christina, my nana, aunty me and the kids). We had a traditional fish dinner.
Adrian was very patient waiting to open the presents after dinner. And he was so spoiled and of course knows that there is more to come once my sister Conny gets back, we are going to my Dads and also once we are back in NZ at home and with his Dad! That's the good luck of broken up families- lots of presents at different times.
Oh, we also did the rounds in the afternoon and giving presents to the many people that live around this complex of my stepdads. There are 9 appartments people are renting and they all got presents from us! It was nice to give to strangers this year, as most of them I hadn't met. I hope you all had a nice day.
Today was my nana (Oma)s Birthday and we had lunch brought to us here which was nicer than going out with the kids. Smoking is still allowed in restaurants here and it's hard to handle at times.
And tomorrow is Giorgia's big day! The church was stuffed full of around 300 people yesterday- we are not expecting numbers like that, but you never know who will come and have a nosy. Lucky she's a Hope, so most people will not expect her to have anything to do with the mighty Schächs here:)

Adrian did well

at the raffle. He won 2 pocket knives, a towel, a soft toy, 2 caps, an umbrella, a clock, pasta, wine and beer. Lucky him!!
He's just having another swim with Oma.

Adrian riding Pele

Adrian had another great ride on Pele and here are some photos. Pele has been my sister's pony 20 years ago, he was then sold and we bought him back 10 years ago from the same people. He used to be an excellent bush pony and loved to jump! 25 now he's getting rather lazy.

Adrian is just enjoying the company's christmas farewell with sausages and raffles! Knowing his luck, he'll do well:)

We had to muck out the stable this morning and they all got Santa presents on their boxes which Adrian spotted yesterday. Lucky there were treats for the horses as well as their owners/carers, which today of course also included Adrian. Lucky him!

Adrian is having fun!

Well, on Sunday Adrian went to the indoor playground in Regensburg with his aunty Conny, her partner Rico and his son Tim, Adrian's new mate! Here are a couple of photos. They had heaps of fun and were exhausted once back home.

Yesterday he had a German haircut, which surprisingly enough doesn't look too different from a New Zealand one. We visited the city of Ingolstadt which is very old and has got a castle with a wall around the town which impressed Adrian a lot. I will upload a photo later, as my sister took it with her phone camera.

Adrian also had a horse ride on our very old pony Pele and wants to go for another one today. Last shop today also, and getting ready to decorate the Christmas tree.

Here's a photo of our breakfast this morning.

There's still no snow, but at least the rain has stopped. Fingers crossed it will get colder still! Also it is enough for Giorgia and I. Hate putting jackets on and off all day... Miss you all:)

I hate Yetlag!

Adrian, my Mum and Christina at a food stall.

Munich shops.

The play.

The biggest Christmas Tree Adrian has ever seen!

Adrian and his Oma in the pool.

Today was the first day I was actually "here". Jetlag hit Giorgia hard and it took the first two nights to convince her to sleep. Last night was better, also we all had a snack at 4am but managed to go back to sleep again. The last couple of days were spent organising the christening details, visiting more friends and family, and today I got to have 2 horse rides. Hard after not having done any proper riding in a while, but all good. We'll take photos next time...
We went to my most favourite town today- Munich! The Christmas market is on which is so beautiful and it was nice being able to see things from the touristy kind of eye. Adrian loved it there and enjoyed looking at the different stalls and the decorations and food they sold. He enjoyes the finer things in life and checking them out very carefully and thoroughly. I did some clothes shopping, but ran out of time. It's so nice to be at a place I am familiar with and enjoy so much. Munich is special, and so are the people that live there. Unique, warm and friendly. I have missed it and will have to continue to do so I guess. We also went to see my sister Christina's new appartment which is very nice and in a building from 1920 something.
Adrian has finally cought up with my sister Conny's step-son Tim and they went to his house now to check out his toys. This morning we had the mopst beautiful snow coming down for around half an hour- so so nice. But unfortunately it is just too warm (4°C) and has turned into rain fairly quickly.

We are here!!

Travel went ok- Giorgia did great with lots of sleeps. Adrian and I didn't get much sleep relly and by the time we got here he had had it and was very upset wanting to go back home again. But he soon came around after checking out the heated indoor pool, the snow, his bike here, the treats and our cool as toilet that has got loads of features (Iwill have to take a photo off it) Giorgia thought it was day time at night, but I managed to drag her out until 6am. She's back asleep now and my nana is very proud of her good baby:)
It's nice to catch up with some friends already and to have my family around us. My sister got us breakfast from the bakery at 6am. Yum. Oh, I realised that I didn'd miss snow that much after all. Adrian loves it though and had a snow fight with me and loves riding his bike here which Santa thought he could to with. Friends have dropped off so much for Giorgia. She's got a complete nursery here. And another friend dropped off lots of toys and art stuff for Adrian which he loves! Well, here are a few airport photos (at the top). We're off to the supermarket in the afternoon and I'll have a play with the horses. Catch you all soon. Oh, we do miss NZ and all of you...